Working on Sunday

  • Thread starter Thread starter BlueSapphire
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BlueSapphire

Guest
I have a cleaning job which requires me to work for one hour on Sunday. It’s the only job I have and the only day I work. During these hard times of recession, the small amount of money helps to pay some bills. Is it a sin?
 
BlueSapphire said:
I have a cleaning job which requires me to work for one hour on Sunday. It’s the only job I have and the only day I work. During these hard times of recession, the small amount of money helps to pay some bills. Is it a sin?
Click to expand...
No, it’s not a sin. Just make sure that you attend mass as well.
 
BlueSapphire said:
Thank you, I would NEVER miss Mass, no matter what! 🙂
Click to expand...
Missing Mass for work, illness, travel, or caring for relatives is not a Sin.

Neither is working on a Sunday, even if it should mean that you miss Mass. (Which it does not seem will be a problem for you).

👍
 
Obviously try and get a different job that won’t have you working on Sunday to, but if its the only way you can provide for you and your family then its not a sin. Sunday work is not to be done for frivolous reasons however only you and God know just how bad you need the money.

It can be a sin depending on whether it is a necessity or not which the original responder failed to mention.

To me a job that consists of working one hour a week does not sound like its what you are living off am I right?
 
Advocatus_Fidei said:
Obviously try and get a different job that won’t have you working on Sunday to, but if its the only way you can provide for you and your family then its not a sin. Sunday work is not to be done for frivolous reasons however only you and God know just how bad you need the money.

It can be a sin depending on whether it is a necessity or not which the original responder failed to mention.

To me a job that consists of working one hour a week does not sound like its what you are living off am I right?
Click to expand...
My husband is in construction (painter/decorator), and does not have regular work, and the little I get, pays for one bi-monthly bill. I get triple time for a Sunday, so I get paid for 3 hours for working one hour. Out of a population of 4 million 400,000 is unemployed, so jobs are scarce. The social welfare here is not very accommodating to those who were self-employed, and you are pretty much left to your own devices, unless you are in real dire straits. 😦

There is a podcast of a show on our national radio, whereby a self-employed construction worker was reduced to stealing a litre of milk from his local shop for his family and was sitting in the dark as their electricity was cut off. Social Welfare didn’t want to know him!

The following is the whole podcast, and you would have to listen to the whole thing to hear the above story.

Thank God, we’re not as bad as that!

Pod Cast
 
PS. Slide the podcast to about a third of the way to hear the construction worker!
 
I don’t know your situation I am just pointing out that it is a sin to carry out UNNECESSARY servile work on a Sunday, whether it is necessary or not for you to do this work only you can know.

If its necessary then its ok to do it, if its not then its a sin to continue doing it.
 
I’ve decided to give it up, €28 a week is not worth it if it’s a sin. I trust that when one door closes God will open another.

Thanks for all your replies! 🙂
 
BlueSapphire said:
I’ve decided to give it up, €28 a week is not worth it if it’s a sin. I trust that when one door closes God will open another.

Thanks for all your replies! 🙂
Click to expand...
I am sure God will bless you for this sacrifice you have made for Him.
 
I don’t consider it a sin. I have had to work every other weekend most of my career.
 
‘You labor, you labor, my children; but what you earn ruins your body and your soul. If one ask those who work on Sunday, “What have you been doing?” they might answer, “I have been selling my soul to the devil, crucifying Our Lord, and renouncing my Baptism. I am going to Hell; I shall have to weep for all eternity in vain.” When I see people driving carts on Sunday, I think I see them carrying their souls to Hell.’

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars
 
BlueSapphire said:
I’ve decided to give it up, €28 a week is not worth it if it’s a sin. I trust that when one door closes God will open another.

Thanks for all your replies! 🙂
Click to expand...
My concern for you would be that perhaps God opened THIS door for you as a way inwhich you might contribute to the financial needs of the family and now you’ll be closing the door. Here is what the CCC has to say on the matter:

CCC 2185 - On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

Therefore, if this job is needed, and God has provided it in order that your family can financially meet its needs, it would NOT BE A SIN to take care of your family. As I said earlier, just ensure that you meet your religous obligations.
 
i dont believe it is a sin. i am sure many have to work on sunday’s since unfortunately thats the culture we live in. you could always ask your priest and i am sure he would say the same thing.
 
'Oh, how mistaken in his calculations is he who labours hard on Sunday, thinking that he will earn more money or do more work! Can two or three shillings ever make up for the harm he does himself by violating the law of the good God? You imagine that everything depends on your working; but there comes an illness, an accident. . . . so little is required! a tempest, a hailstorm, a frost. The good God holds everything in His hand; He can avenge Himself when He will, and as He will; the means are not wanting to Him. Is He not always the strongest? Must not He be the master in the end?

There was once a woman who came to her priest to ask leave to get in her hay on Sunday. “But,” said the priest, “it is not necessary; your hay will run no risk.” The woman insisted, saying, “Then you want me to let my crop be lost?” She herself died that very evening; she was more in danger than her crop of hay. “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting.” [Jn. 6: 27]’

‘What will remain to you of your Sunday work? You leave the earth just as it is; when you go away, you carry nothing with you. Ah! when we are attached to the earth, we are not willing to go! Our first end is to go to God; we are on the earth for no other purpose. My brethren, we should die on Sunday, and rise again on Monday.’

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars
 
She has already said that she doesn’t need to work this job, the extra money was helpful but not essential, stop trying to encourage another to break the commandments of God with your worldly advice it is sickening to hear coming from people who consider themselves Catholics and especially traditional Catholics should know better.
 
Advocatus_Fidei said:
She has already said that she doesn’t need to work this job, the extra money was helpful but not essential, stop trying to encourage another to break the commandments of God with your worldly advice it is sickening to hear coming from people who consider themselves Catholics and especially traditional Catholics should know better.
Click to expand...
Actually, Sunday is not the sabbath. The sabbath is from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. Sunday is the Lord’s Day and a Holy Day of Obligation. She has said that she would not miss mass. She has said that her husband is often without work because construction is a hit and miss occupation. She has said that she works only one hour a day on Sundays. If she were at home I suppose that you would have her not cook too?! If she helps provide for her family in order to pay the required bills to support her family and she still attends mass, stop suggesting that she is sinning in order to quench your lust for self-righteousness. Perhaps where you live police officers, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, etc., etc., etc. are all hell-bound because they work on Sundays too. And every house wife and mother out there can tell you that cooking and cleaning up for a family is work and doesn’t stop on Sunday.
 
Tietjen said:
Actually, Sunday is not the sabbath. The sabbath is from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. Sunday is the Lord’s Day and a Holy Day of Obligation. She has said that she would not miss mass. She has said that her husband is often without work because construction is a hit and miss occupation. She has said that she works only one hour a day on Sundays. If she were at home I suppose that you would have her not cook too?! If she helps provide for her family in order to pay the required bills to support her family and she still attends mass, stop suggesting that she is sinning in order to quench your lust for self-righteousness. Perhaps where you live police officers, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, etc., etc., etc. are all hell-bound because they work on Sundays too. And every house wife and mother out there can tell you that cooking and cleaning up for a family is work and doesn’t stop on Sunday.
Click to expand...
Sunday is the Sabbath to Catholics and I am simply repeating the constant teaching of the Catholic Church I am sorry you seem to have such a problem with that and feel the need to insult me over it, I advise you to discuss this matter with your spiritual advisor.
 
I went to confession today, and mentioned it to my priest. I have at this stage given up the job. It was really a stop-gap until something better comes along. However the priest said it was okay if it was to help make ends meet.

God Bless all! 🙂
 
Currently, I have to work on Sunday (I work administration for the US Census Bureau). One of the differences between now and yesteryear (Pre-Industrial Revolution) is that historically people owned their own business (i.e. the family farm, the cobbler, the merchant, etc.) and so they could choose when they worked. Today, most people work for someone else and if the boss says be in on Sunday and you refuse, you may lose your job–not a good thing especially in this day and age.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top